The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-09-19
NIGER AND HIS FAMILIES
r~Tdmerous Progeny Left by the
Sewing Machine Inventor.
Five wives and the Children who
Bore HIS Real or Assumed Names
His Early Poverty.
Chicago Tribune,

vile, in Normandy. He was suffering
from heart disease, and had never
completely recovered from the shock
he received at Mentone during the
earthquake. The dead mans end Is
said to have been hardened by cruel
trick Of one Of bis enemies, who sent
an employe Of the Pompes Funebres
to his house to take measurements for
his coffin. The Duke was the second
husband Of Mrs. Isabella Eugenie
Singer, the third legal wife Of Isaac
N. Singer, the inventor Of a sewing
machine. The Duke had nothing but
his title when he married Mrs. Singer,
but she was wealthy, and they at
tempted virtually to buy their way
into polite society In Paris. In this
they were hardly successful. The
Duke was Q musician Of great ability,
and his American wife gave many en-
joysble musicsles at their home in
Avenue Klebsr, Paris. He had q splen.
did collection Of violins, among which
was genuine stradivarius. But when
he was buried few OF those who were
so prompt TO respond TO invitations to
the dead mans fetes and concerts
thought 1t worth while to attend his
funeral.
July 28 Mics w .nnaretta Singer was
married in Paris to Prince Louis de
Scey-Montbeillardo. She Is the
daughter Of the Dichess, and her
marriage to Prince Louis Is supposed
to have been the result OF her desire
to possess home OF her own, and pro.
lection from the opportunities OF her
mothers impecunious but enterpris.
ing husband. Now death has relieved
her OF the old Dukes presence, and
she may have occasion 10 regret her
haste. Her wedding was witnessed
by her second brother, Washington,
and Franklin, another brother, was
chief mourner at the funeral Of their
stepfather, the Duke.
These few facts serve 10 bring TO
mind something about Singer and his
numerous wives and progeny. The
inventor was q millionaire, father OF
twenty.four children. and head Of FIVE
separate families. Mr.. Singers estat 9
when he died was inventolied at about
5000, coo, but 1t proved 10 amount to
about twice that sum. He was born In
sehsghticoke, N. Y, and in early
manhood lived from hand TO mouth
as q wood turner and general me.
chanic. In 1880 he was married by a
country squire to Miss Catherine N.
Haley. His first child was born In
1884. They then lived 10 Waterloo,
N. Y, AID he was shifiless fellow,
capable Of turning his hand 10 any
sort OF work, but not doing we'll Of
anything. He WAS given to copsortinp
with other women besides his vile,
and gave evidence OF being q natural
born ACTOR, abe 10 initiate any living
thing be mad ever heard or seen. IL
1887 child was b,rn 10 them In New
York CITY, sbdIrom there hs started
out as q strolling player. From the
stage on which he was performing In
Baltimore on. night he saw a very
beautiful WON n, eighteen years old
He became enamored VI her, sought
her fathers house, introduced him.
self, proposed In TINA, and was &C
cepted.
This was Mary Ann sponsler, wife
or companion No. 2 Singer hurried
to New York 10 get wife No. l ard her
family out Of the way, and he and che
quaIreled and separated. He took
Mary Ann sporsler TO New York, asd
when she ms cd that he must marry
her, he told her he was In trouble with
another woman; that he had Just
grounds for divorce, and alter be mad
got Il be would have their relations
isgalIE d. Miss sponsler had 10 share
agreat deal OF poverty with him, even
more, indeed, tLan Mira. Singer 1 nd
endured. Miss sponeler took lessoLt
10 a. herself Tor the stage, and with
her husband, under the names Of hr
and Mrs. Merritt, played temperance
pieces In churches all ever the coun.
try. For fourteen years they followed
this life. She called him "fathsr,'
and he called her "wiie." They " ~
vretchedly poor. Everything they
had In the world WAS IN the on ho 10,
wagon In which they wandered about,
and time and lime again they had e
pawn that and lite contents and theil
horse 10 get food. While they wer,
In Chicsg lbe invented q reaping ma
chine, and later on q machine foi
carving tyre He began 10 have
money In consequences. In 1850 he hat
completed the inventions that max,
mp tho Singer sewing nfchine, IRON
which he Was In time 10 accu
/, mulate the colossal fortune he d aally
left behind him. Again he went "a
New York, and this time II was 10 Del
up % ttyliih establishment ut No. II
Fifth avenue. The first and only tru,
Mrs. Singer seems then 10 have beer
forgotten. She was living In Brook
Ign. No. 2 was everywhere regarded
a. the inventors vile. Nice peopl,
visited the house. Her visiting card
and invitations 10 parties that oh,
gave bore the name OF Mrs. I. NJ
Singer. She ordered goods at the DR.,
goods stores and other stores 40 Mrs.
Singer, and Mr.. Singer paid the bills
She and her companion visited hel
people In Baltimore a. man and wife
and 90 registered wherever they
stopped In hotels She bore him Ten
children. Catharine Haley had born,
him two children. He used 10 bora
that boys and girls came alternately I,
him. He had huge and gaudy ve
ilcle capable Of seating twenty a VI
children, and In this, with NJ 90 spoons
Ter and the ten children, he used 4
ride In the paris every day. In 1850
tventy.iouf years after he had left IN,
FIST companion OF his poverty, MIRA
Oatharine Haley Singer, he got di
vorce from her.
singer led fast life In those days
and was very frequently seen In com
pany with women whom Miss spoons
lars friends we're not acquainted with
Seven months alter he was divorces
kias sponsel. riding In her own car
rage, saw him In his carriage with
Mary Ann Mc6onlgsl. She screamed
until he saw her. He went homo anC
beat her, aud she had him arrested
Then he went 10 Europe, and In thl